The pole vault is a difficult and dangerous sport, two factors that inhibit the sport's growth. While danger can be mitigated through practice, the very nature of the sport limits the amount of practice that can be accomplished at any given time. The reason is fatigue. Even an unsuccessful vault attempt may require that the athlete take a fast running approach toward the “pit” of between 70 and 120 feet while carrying a pole that measures between 10 feet 6 inches and 17 feet 6 inches. Under such conditions, fatigue sets in quickly. As a result, a typical pole vaulter may only manage six to eight full approach practice jumps per day.
Past attempts to develop devices that permit an athlete to experience an actual jump in a repeatable and safe manner have met with only limited success. As such, there is a need for a further advancement of the art.